Now that the World Series is over, I am so excited about the Baseball Hot Stove. Every year the Hot Stove actually gives me hope that the Pirates might make some major splash in free agency and each year by Christmas I am completely disappointed.

Please tell me why the Pirates cannot make a deal for Matt Holliday.  I know that with Frank Connelly and Neal Huntington at the helm the Pirates are going in the right direction, but it still annoys me that a small market team like the Oakland A's can sweep in and pull off a trade for a legitimate stud. 

For the life of me I cannot come to grips with the fact that over the last 16 years the Pirates could not piece together one semi decent team. I am not even asking for a playoff season just a freaking five hundred team, but alas I don't think that is going to happen for at least another 2-3 years. The Pirates finally have a decent young core of players at some of the key positions in Nate McLouth, Pedro Alvarez, Matt Capps and Ryan Doumit. Now all that really needs to happen is the pitching staff has to acquire some maturity and boom the Pirates pull off the same thing that Tampa Bay did.

Now the other thing that boggles my mind is are the Red Sox and the Yankees not stepping up to the plate. I cannot see the Yankees going into that insane new stadium without loading up for a run at a World Series. My guess is they are holding out for C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett.  Right now in my opinion the Yankees are a third or fourth place team which leaves them with some major work to do in a very short period of time. There has been mention of the Red Sox and Derek Lowe. Come on you were a couple of steps away from the World Series, except your offense went to hell and your pitching became inconsistent.  What the Sox should know is package a couple of young players for the Josh Becket type again and they will be in good shape. Possibly Matt Cain?

I think with the economy the way that it is this is going to be a weird off-season and I the mantra buy low sell high ever meant anything in baseball this is the time. So I could also see the Cubs stepping into the mix although it looks like Jake Peavy may end up with the Cubs. If Dempster resigns, them in my opinion the Cubs immediately become a great team not just a good team.  I think this could turn into an interesting trade though as Adrian Gonzalez and Peavy could be coming the Cubs for Felix Pie, and Derek Lee and a couple of prospects.

Manny will stay with the Dodgers for a ton of money. 3 years and 75 million is being tossed around. I am not so sure that that much money on Manny is the best idea. He has never been in amazing shape and he is getting older. It reminds me of the Johnny Damon deal a bit that the Yankees signed a few years ago. I just cannot see Manny keeping up with the production he has been able to put up. It is Hollywood though and anything goes out there. I understand he is an attraction but he is risky with how he has acted in the last couple of years. Although Boras is involved in the Manny situation and he is going to make a deal happen before the end of the year in order for him to collect his entire bonus as most likely with Obama’s new tax rate he would have to pay more money than he currently would.

I think that CC Sabathia will end up with the Yankees and Franky Rodriguez with the Met’s as both will get gobs of money thrown at them. Mark Texiera will end up with the San Francisco Giants. I heard they are seriously thinking about making a run. Ben Sheets will stay with the Brewers for a one year deal, so he can test the waters again next year when the financial market is better. They have the pitching and only need a few pieces to make a run in the NL West as it a very weak division. 

A couple of teams that seem poised to really come from no where to make a big splash are the Kansas City Royals and the Reds.  I think the Red’s have a good mix of young talent and remind me of the Rays. I said this last year that Rays would be in the mix in the AL East and I was right. I keep saying it and every year I am wrong, I honestly cannot say the Pirates are going to make the next step this year. I think they will be yet again in the bottom of the NL Central, unless the following two things happen. They fill holes via free agency which is not likely or they let the kids play like Tampa did. Let Andrew McClutchen start in left, McClouth in center and Nyer Morgan in right. At least the Pirates would be fun and nothing against Brandon Moss, but he hit .246 last year after being traded from the Red Sox and he is coming off knee surgery.

Ok I am rambling about the Pirates becoming a winning team again. I mean honestly why would anyone want to come and play for a team that has not had a winning team in 16 years, have cheap owners, every 4 to 5 years change GM’s and coaches who try to right the Ship and a dwindling fan base. I mean seriously why do you think Jason Bay is having so much fun in Boston. He actually plays in front of a packed house every night. Do you think he is telling people Pittsburgh is a great place to play? No he tells people Pittsburgh is a sinking Pirates ship. Great city but bad franchise. I give everyone in the PBC credit for having so much hope for the team but for the average fan, why should you continue to root for the Pirates and not a winning team like the Yankees or the Red Sox?

Gotta love the Hot Stove. I sure do.